Daniel Levy - Chairman

[BrainOfLevy]

So you’d happily gamble Spurs future. You wouldn’t do the same with your own house or savings though.

The biggest misnomer is that trophies are it. Of course we all want to see us lift them. But it is not a destination in itself is it? Supporting Spurs is much much more than that. If you can’t see that we’re making progress and just want us to press the cheat button and buy success you’re only setting yourself up for more disappointment. As we’ve discussed, you need a benign billionaire, enic to want to sell and there is no guarantees that new owners want to splurge their money away.

The moral of the story which is a reflection of life in general, is to appreciate what you have, rather than be down you don’t have x y z. We will have plenty of successes. There are few other chairman I trust as a custodian as much as I do levy. We should get behind him and see what can be achieved until such time that they do sell.


Sitting on my porcelain throne using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

Of course trophies are it!

I was all about appreciating the journey when we were building the stadium. Now I want trophies.

This idea that we should be appreciating what we have, I just don’t understand. New owners wouldn’t be a cheat button at this point, we would just be levelling the playing field. It wouldn’t mean any less, and we have done the hard yards.

I really don’t understand the mentality that it isn’t about trophies for Spurs at this point. I don’t understand how people can tune in each week thinking ‘well, our place in the world means we just can’t expect more.’ To say it is not all about trophies sounds like ENIC propaganda that they have drilled in to people to keep them on side.

Of course we should aspire to more. Of course we should want trophies. We are fans of a football club. One that has spent the best part of 20 years making decisions that make financial sense rather than football sense.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I massively agree with you here. There’s almost two separate debates happening here. There is one thing to saying we’d rather new owners who will invest more money. Clearly the difficulty will be finding someone rich enough.

But there’s another thread about ENIC’s decisions, because the argument seems to be that a club with our resources and our position in the food chain could have only done it exactly the way we have done it. And that’s very easy to argue against. The thing I really agree with you on is selling players at the right time. If we want to keep professing as a team rather than worrying what the accounts said, we could have done it.

I go back to the summer of selling Walker and signing Sanchez and Aurier. We got a big fee, replaced the player and signed a top prospect globally in another position. And then we just stopped doing it. We hung on to Eriksen way too long. Why? Was it because of the stadium? Or was it because we stopped being bold?

Looking at our transfer dealings it’s the former
We have spent money since we did I end the stadium
More than we spent before the stadium started
But... I also think we have had a problem in knowing where to add players position wise (something that’s clearer now)
And of course in the duration we have changed manager which would have carried with it a change in player profile wanted

 

[Raziel]

I massively agree with you here. There’s almost two separate debates happening here. There is one thing to saying we’d rather new owners who will invest more money. Clearly the difficulty will be finding someone rich enough.

But there’s another thread about ENIC’s decisions, because the argument seems to be that a club with our resources and our position in the food chain could have only done it exactly the way we have done it. And that’s very easy to argue against. The thing I really agree with you on is selling players at the right time. If we want to keep professing as a team rather than worrying what the accounts said, we could have done it.

I go back to the summer of selling Walker and signing Sanchez and Aurier. We got a big fee, replaced the player and signed a top prospect globally in another position. And then we just stopped doing it. We hung on to Eriksen way too long. Why? Was it because of the stadium? Or was it because we stopped being bold?

Mate, it's simple

- Some people want Sugar Daddies (you and some have actually admitted it, so kudos to you), and they want to dress it up/excuse it in a million ways "owners with more passion, willing to take more risk, etc."
- My issue is often these are the people who complain about any attempt by the club to monetize, charge for anything (ESL, Ticket prices, etc.)
- People have run the numbers, it's in these threads somewhere -> ENIC spent money pre Stadium, Stadium years including time of land acquisition was very low spend, once Stadium was complete spending resumed, then we had Covid impact (but that doesn't fit a narrative.

This board is so fudging reactive is hilarious

- Leicester, people would actually trade places with Leicester? let's be clear, I'd bet my house on it -> Rodgers is gone with another season, Vardy in two, they drop right back into middle of the pack. Great they will always have something to remember but anyone who thinks they are threatening the order of the league are strait out fudging deluded.

The other thing is just looking at this squad a little more objectively

- We are 6th with two games left and our fate in our own hands, we made a cup final, Kane tied for Golden boot, Son having the best season of his career.
- We have dropped 20 points from leading positions and hit the woodwork 23 times.
- Bale, Dele, Rodon underutilized all season

Not hard to look at this season and say with a more compatible coach (and yes that is on Levy/ENIC) and/or a little bit of luck, this side would actually have strolled top 4, gone further in Europa, etc. (in our worst season in a decade+ with all the circumstances that apply)

 

[thfcsteff]

Mate, it's simple

- Some people want Sugar Daddies (you and some have actually admitted it, so kudos to you), and they want to dress it up/excuse it in a million ways "owners with more passion, willing to take more risk, etc."
- My issue is often these are the people who complain about any attempt by the club to monetize, charge for anything (ESL, Ticket prices, etc.)
- People have run the numbers, it's in these threads somewhere -> ENIC spent money pre Stadium, Stadium years including time of land acquisition was very low spend, once Stadium was complete spending resumed, then we had Covid impact (but that doesn't fit a narrative.

This board is so fudging reactive is hilarious

- Leicester, people would actually trade places with Leicester? let's be clear, I'd bet my house on it -> Rodgers is gone with another season, Vardy in two, they drop right back into middle of the pack. Great they will always have something to remember but anyone who thinks they are threatening the order of the league are strait out fudging deluded.

The other thing is just looking at this squad a little more objectively

- We are 6th with two games left and our fate in our own hands, we made a cup final, Kane tied for Golden boot, Son having the best season of his career.
- We have dropped 20 points from leading positions and hit the woodwork 23 times.
- Bale, Dele, Rodon underutilized all season

Not hard to look at this season and say with a more compatible coach (and yes that is on Levy/ENIC) and/or a little bit of luck, this side would actually have strolled top 4, gone further in Europa, etc. (in our worst season in a decade+ with all the circumstances that apply)

That we have not sealed top 4 is a massive, massive joke. That we won't make it without a bizarre series of results is shambolic...

 

[AdamB]

Mate, it's simple

- Some people want Sugar Daddies (you and some have actually admitted it, so kudos to you), and they want to dress it up/excuse it in a million ways "owners with more passion, willing to take more risk, etc."
- My issue is often these are the people who complain about any attempt by the club to monetize, charge for anything (ESL, Ticket prices, etc.)
- People have run the numbers, it's in these threads somewhere -> ENIC spent money pre Stadium, Stadium years including time of land acquisition was very low spend, once Stadium was complete spending resumed, then we had Covid impact (but that doesn't fit a narrative.

This board is so fudging reactive is hilarious

- Leicester, people would actually trade places with Leicester? let's be clear, I'd bet my house on it -> Rodgers is gone with another season, Vardy in two, they drop right back into middle of the pack. Great they will always have something to remember but anyone who thinks they are threatening the order of the league are strait out fudging deluded.

The other thing is just looking at this squad a little more objectively

- We are 6th with two games left and our fate in our own hands, we made a cup final, Kane tied for Golden boot, Son having the best season of his career.
- We have dropped 20 points from leading positions and hit the woodwork 23 times.
- Bale, Dele, Rodon underutilized all season

Not hard to look at this season and say with a more compatible coach (and yes that is on Levy/ENIC) and/or a little bit of luck, this side would actually have strolled top 4, gone further in Europa, etc. (in our worst season in a decade+ with all the circumstances that apply)

Very good post. I've long said that with a new manager plus a couple CBs this summer then this team can compete at the very highest level. Squad (non first 11) needs upgrading but doesnt all need to be done in 1 summer

 

[Finney Is Back]

Very good post. I've long said that with a new manager plus a couple CBs this summer then this team can compete at the very highest level. Squad (non first 11) needs upgrading but doesnt all need to be done in 1 summer

The chairman has clearly made some bad mistakes over the last few years. Let's hope he doesn't make any this summer and the right man is brought in and backed with the transfers that they want (in and out).

 

[Lilbaz]

That we have not sealed top 4 is a massive, massive joke. That we won't make it without a bizarre series of results is shambolic...

I remember the days when a positive goal difference was a good season.

 

[Raziel]

I remember the days when a positive goal difference was a good season.

Hahaha, your inducing PTSD, +GD and any away wins, fudge we have watched some dross as Spurs

 

[Jurgen the German]

Mate, it's simple

- Some people want Sugar Daddies (you and some have actually admitted it, so kudos to you), and they want to dress it up/excuse it in a million ways "owners with more passion, willing to take more risk, etc."
- My issue is often these are the people who complain about any attempt by the club to monetize, charge for anything (ESL, Ticket prices, etc.)
- People have run the numbers, it's in these threads somewhere -> ENIC spent money pre Stadium, Stadium years including time of land acquisition was very low spend, once Stadium was complete spending resumed, then we had Covid impact (but that doesn't fit a narrative.

This board is so fudging reactive is hilarious

- Leicester, people would actually trade places with Leicester? let's be clear, I'd bet my house on it -> Rodgers is gone with another season, Vardy in two, they drop right back into middle of the pack. Great they will always have something to remember but anyone who thinks they are threatening the order of the league are strait out fudging deluded.

The other thing is just looking at this squad a little more objectively

- We are 6th with two games left and our fate in our own hands, we made a cup final, Kane tied for Golden boot, Son having the best season of his career.
- We have dropped 20 points from leading positions and hit the woodwork 23 times.
- Bale, Dele, Rodon underutilized all season

Not hard to look at this season and say with a more compatible coach (and yes that is on Levy/ENIC) and/or a little bit of luck, this side would actually have strolled top 4, gone further in Europa, etc. (in our worst season in a decade+ with all the circumstances that apply)

I don’t think anyone would disagree that we are in a better position to challenge long term than Leicester are (a few of their fans even said after they won the league). A lot of people dismissed their PL title as a fluke but they’ve backed it up with the FA cup and look like a safe bet for top 4 this season and are in a good place next season assuming they keep Rodgers. They’ve won the two biggest domestic trophies in the game since 2016 so it’s hard to knock them too much. For the record I’m not saying they weren’t fortunate when they won the league but they were the best team out of a bad bunch in a very poor premier league season.

The staunch pro Levy posters seem to have developed a somewhat dismissive attitude to trophies, conveniently at a time when we don’t win many. Will be interesting to see what the reaction is if we go and win a couple of FA/LC’s but hover around 5th-7th in the league. Another thing some people have done is rewrite our history and claim well we didn’t win that much before ENIC anyway so it’s not much different. We were never a trophy winning juggernaut but we won things at least every 10 years or so.

I’ll nail my colours to the mast again and say I don’t want ENIC to sell the club but I do want them to take a step back from the football operations and reform our transfer policy with both incomings and outgoings. If they don’t do that then I feel like we will be having the same conversation in 5 or 10 years and sitting here trophy-less but people still claiming we’re on the right/ethical path.

It is about the journey, but the journey has to include some trophies every now and then. It’s partly about the journey and also partly about silverware.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I don’t think anyone would disagree that we are in a better position to challenge long term than Leicester are (a few of their fans even said after they won the league). A lot of people dismissed their PL title as a fluke but they’ve backed it up with the FA cup and look like a safe bet for top 4 this season and are in a good place next season assuming they keep Rodgers. They’ve won the two biggest domestic trophies in the game since 2016 so it’s hard to knock them too much. For the record I’m not saying they weren’t fortunate when they won the league but they were the best team out of a bad bunch in a very poor premier league season.

The staunch pro Levy posters seem to have developed a somewhat dismissive attitude to trophies, conveniently at a time when we don’t win many. Will be interesting to see what the reaction is if we go and win a couple of FA/LC’s but hover around 5th-7th in the league. Another thing some people have done is rewrite our history and claim well we didn’t win that much before ENIC anyway so it’s not much different. We were never a trophy winning juggernaut but we won things at least every 10 years or so.

I’ll nail my colours to the mast again and say I don’t want ENIC to sell the club but I do want them to take a step back from the football operations and reform our transfer policy with both incomings and outgoings. If they don’t do that then I feel like we will be having the same conversation in 5 or 10 years and sitting here trophy-less but people still claiming we’re on the right/ethical path.

It is about the journey, but the journey has to include some trophies every now and then. It’s partly about the journey and also partly about silverware.

I’ll add that since Leicester won the league we have had numerous chances to win things... and completely blew it
The league the year after
FA cup semis
League cup finals
Champions league final

 

[Jurgen the German]

I’ll add that since Leicester won the league we have had numerous chances to win things... and completely blew it
The league the year after
FA cup semis
League cup finals
Champions league final

Agree mentality remains a major issue for us. Look at the teams that have won things since our last trophy; Birmingham, Wigan, Leicester and Swansea. They all beat ‘big 6’ teams in the final apart from Swansea. We can’t even score a goal.

 

[Raziel]

I don’t think anyone would disagree that we are in a better position to challenge long term than Leicester are (a few of their fans even said after they won the league). A lot of people dismissed their PL title as a fluke but they’ve backed it up with the FA cup and look like a safe bet for top 4 this season and are in a good place next season assuming they keep Rodgers. They’ve won the two biggest domestic trophies in the game since 2016 so it’s hard to knock them too much.

The staunch pro Levy posters seem to have developed a somewhat dismissive attitude to trophies, conveniently at a time when we don’t win many. Will be interesting to see what the reaction is if we go and win a couple of FA/LC’s but hover around 5th-7th in the league. Another thing some people have done is rewrite our history and claim well we didn’t win that much before ENIC anyway so it’s not much different. We were never a trophy winning juggernaut but we won things at least every 10 years or so.

I’ll nail my colours to the mast again and say I don’t want ENIC to sell the club but I do want them to take a step back from the football operations and reform our transfer policy with both incomings and outgoings. If they don’t do that then I feel like we will be having the same conversation in 5 or 10 years and sitting here trophy-less but people still claiming we’re on the right/ethical path.

- Their PL title was a fluke mate, a domestic cup win for a club challenging for European spots is not unheard of (it's difficult simply because of the dominance of 3 odd clubs). I said it, well done to them (I have a lot of grievances re that PL season, but that is a whole other story) but long term like a lot of clubs, they are fudged (money matters and even owners throwing cash, unless it's RA/Sheik kind of cash it isn't enough to permanently close the gap)

- Trophies matter, no one should deny that.

From my perspective, I think I back Levy/ENIC because I really don't see a lot of other doing "so much better" (last time we had this discussion on the board, there was some barrel scrapping with people saying Everton is doing a better job, I guess today it's Leicester), I don't see myself as "pro", same as with any manger, I'm "pro" Spurs.

The thing I think most people put forward is you can't have a real conversation about success/failure without acknowledging circumstance
- The stadium had an impact
- "Luck" our best year in recent memory (unbeaten at home, good team/manager combination) rolls into playing at Wembley, that further gets delayed
- Truly weird brick like Lasagne, 4th but no CL, 72 points but no CL
- The fact that trophies dominated by a very small group of clubs

and to @Bedfordspurs point, it's not that we are completely out of the running, 21 times in a QF, SF or final means the basic infrastructure is there but for whatever reason it hasn't worked (we can't even fluke a final win).

Wanting Levy/ENIC out is quite honestly a lazy answer, lets go at it

- What are the new owners going to do differently? (only answer I've seen is spend money)
- How much money are we talking about? is that taking into account the £150-£200M each Pool/United/City/Chelsea are likely to spend per season (so are we matching them? or outspending them, if outspend by how much to close the gap?)
- What miracle method are they going to use to get a better hit/miss ratio with players/coach vs. everyone else in the league
- And what is the expectation, 1 cup per 10 years, 2, 3? what's that number?
- And is that including getting European qualification (cause current management has us in Europe for over 12 season)?

I'm amazed that people really believe if Levy/ENIC had managed to buy 1 player here or there (in their mind every major buy works out) it would have fundamentally changed the direction of the club.

The reason I'm ok with where we are is I look at the best case scenario and we might do better (maybe that cup or two) but the fudging odds are we might do worse as well (probably significantly more likely to go that route) and the hold option (lets see Stadium impact in next two years) is the most pragmatic/sensible for now.

 

[Raziel]

Agree meteorology remains a major issue for us. Look at the teams that have won things since our last trophy; Birmingham, Wigan, Leicester and Swansea. They all beat ‘big 6’ teams in the final apart from Swansea. We can’t even score a goal.

There is something in there for sure,

- I suspect part of it was all those teams had a free hit, no expectations, one day in the sunshine brick

We feel the expectations, the team to finally push Spurs over the final hurdle, break the drought, etc. and we have never dealt with it well.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Agree meteorology remains a major issue for us. Look at the teams that have won things since our last trophy; Birmingham, Wigan, Leicester and Swansea. They all beat ‘big 6’ teams in the final apart from Swansea. We can’t even score a goal.

Yep
Yet people think the players need to leave to win things
Maybe it’s their spineless mentality that is part of the issue
It’s too easy for them to fail here

 

[Jurgen the German]

- Their PL title was a fluke mate, a domestic cup win for a club challenging for European spots is not unheard of (it's difficult simply because of the dominance of 3 odd clubs). I said it, well done to them (I have a lot of grievances re that PL season, but that is a whole other story) but long term like a lot of clubs, they are fudged (money matters and even owners throwing cash, unless it's RA/Sheik kind of cash it isn't enough to permanently close the gap)

- Trophies matter, no one should deny that.

From my perspective, I think I back Levy/ENIC because I really don't see a lot of other doing "so much better" (last time we had this discussion on the board, there was some barrel scrapping with people saying Everton is doing a better job, I guess today it's Leicester), I don't see myself as "pro", same as with any manger, I'm "pro" Spurs.

The thing I think most people put forward is you can't have a real conversation about success/failure without acknowledging circumstance
- The stadium had an impact
- "Luck" our best year in recent memory (unbeaten at home, good team/manager combination) rolls into playing at Wembley, that further gets delayed
- Truly weird brick like Lasagne, 4th but no CL, 72 points but no CL
- The fact that trophies dominated by a very small group of clubs

and to @Bedfordspurs point, it's not that we are completely out of the running, 21 times in a QF, SF or final means the basic infrastructure is there but for whatever reason it hasn't worked (we can't even fluke a final win).

Wanting Levy/ENIC out is quite honestly a lazy answer, lets go at it

- What are the new owners going to do differently? (only answer I've seen is spend money)
- How much money are we talking about? is that taking into account the £150-£200M each Pool/United/City/Chelsea are likely to spend per season (so are we matching them? or outspending them, if outspend by how much to close the gap?)
- What miracle method are they going to use to get a better hit/miss ratio with players/coach vs. everyone else in the league
- And what is the expectation, 1 cup per 10 years, 2, 3? what's that number?
- And is that including getting European qualification (cause current management has us in Europe for over 12 season)?

I'm amazed that people really believe if Levy/ENIC had managed to buy 1 player here or there (in their mind every major buy works out) it would have fundamentally changed the direction of the club.

The reason I'm ok with where we are is I look at the best case scenario and we might do better (maybe that cup or two) but the fudging odds are we might do worse as well (probably significantly more likely to go that route) and the hold option (lets see Stadium impact in next two years) is the most pragmatic/sensible for now.

We’ve done better than Everton. Not sure how anyone can make a credible case for that. Over ENIC’s tenure of course we have done better than Leicester on the whole, that can’t be argued against. One league title doesn’t change that. But they’ve been in the top 6 for three out of the last 6 seasons and look in a good place going forward. Whether that can be sustained on and off the pitch remains to be seen.

One thing they absolutely deserve credit for along with the Poch and Harry is getting us consistently above the big 6 sides at various points (not all at the same time obviously as we would have won the league). When people take the tinkle for our lack of trophies they do conveniently ignore we’ve been above them in the league which does count for something. I always fight our corner and point that out as a counter argument.

I do agree strongly that ENIC have grown the club off the pitch. I think where I push back though is when people claim Levy has given the manager all of the tools he can and can do no more. In other words, our inability to see it over the line in finals or semis is not one bit ENIC’s responsibility. I disagree with this view. I disagreed when people said Poch was the best manager in the game when he hadn’t won anything and I use the same logic to Levy when people claim he is the best chairman. He doesn’t have any say in picking the team but the club’s transfer system needs some reforming or tweaking both buying and selling. I do also think Sugar is the gift that keeps on giving for Levy as the bar couldn’t have been much lower but that is another debate quite frankly.

I’m not really an ENIC out person yet, I’ve outlined that I want them to step back from the football operations previously though. That doesn’t mean I would be totally against new ownership provided they have means and run the club properly of course. I do accept there is some sort element of risk but it’s the same when you leave a job you enjoy and start a new role, you might realise you absolutely hate it. But we’re not Emirates Marketing Project, we’re not at a point where things cannot possibly get any better. This is a bit fantastical but ideally new ownership would back the manager with his targets and bring them in before the start of the season, not so be heavily involved in the day to day football side of things, increase the wages to turnover ratio among other things. As I’ve said before, there’s no silver bullet solution to us winning a trophy but I’d much prefer ENIC stay but do certain things differently.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Wanting Levy/ENIC out is quite honestly a lazy answer, lets go at it

- What are the new owners going to do differently? (only answer I've seen is spend money)
- How much money are we talking about? is that taking into account the £150-£200M each Pool/United/City/Chelsea are likely to spend per season (so are we matching them? or outspending them, if outspend by how much to close the gap?)
- What miracle method are they going to use to get a better hit/miss ratio with players/coach vs. everyone else in the league
- And what is the expectation, 1 cup per 10 years, 2, 3? what's that number?
- And is that including getting European qualification (cause current management has us in Europe for over 12 season)?

1. Change the scouting structure. Leave transfers to a top class DoF (there are two readily available right now). Ensure far more continuation between managers so that the signings one makes are not rendered obsolete by the next manager coming in with a completely different philosophy. Not go three whole transfer windows without making a signing. Ensure that the manager's needs are met (i.e. if they need a CF to fill in or want a proper first team centre half then they get those players... This should easily be achievable with a reasonable DoF). Look to put in place a system like Emirates Marketing Project's and Chelsea's to bring in and loan out young players. If necessary operate a separate budget for that, that after initial seed funding is paid for in transfer fees received for those players. Don't sack managers who have overachieved compared to resources for several seasons the first time they have a sticky patch. Operate a wage to turnover ratio that is more in line with our competitors. Stop throwing away money by paying the government tax on profits (i.e. invest back into the playing side instead of announcing a profit).

2. I think right now we probably need about £150m pumped in to the transfer fund. That amount would likely make us amongst the 4 favourites for CL qualification next season (well assuming we had a good DoF and manager in charge of spending it - not Levy, Hitchen and a cheap managerial option). This summer will be a buyers market and we could rebuild for half of what it might cost in a 'normal' year. After that (assuming we don't do something silly again like going 3 windows with no signings) then 3 signings for the first team squad a year is all we would need and those could probably be purchased out of the clubs operational funds. An injection of £150m would actually only represent about 10% of ENICs paper profit on THFC and, arguably, could even boost the value of the club further. If ENIC don't have that liquidity themselves then they should do the decent thing and dilute their stake a little for a new investor.

3. We go back to item 1. Get in a DoF and scouting team who actually have a track record of good hit ratios. Read the article on how Campos operates.... identified players in each position for 3 different transfer bands, so that if the manager decides positions A and B are most important and take most of the budget then there are still players identified for positions C and D

4. This depends on the resources provided by the owners. If running us at 55% wage to turnover and looking for zero declared profit each year then 2 trophies in a decade would be a reasonable initial target I think.

5. Again this depends on the resources provided by the owners. If giving top 6 resources then the expectation should be top six finishes. If top 4 resources then top 4 finishes.

 

[lurker of old]

Wanting Levy/ENIC out is quite honestly a lazy answer.
ENIC are going nowhere I suspect, as there are so few potential buyers who would have the club's interest at heart. Appointing Mourinho was seen as a positive mood by many - a shame it didn't work out but there we are. As long as Levy appoints a coach who KNOWS THIS LEAGUE, and backs him this summer, I'm very happy with him. The house is amazing, it's just the defensive furniture which needs an upgrade.
Be interesting to see if there are any "ENIC OUT" demonstrators at the Lane on Wednesday - and who on earth they think has the money to invest hugely in players as well as paying off our debt? - that's assuming they can think that deeply............

 

[Finney Is Back]

Wanting Levy/ENIC out is quite honestly a lazy answer.
ENIC are going nowhere I suspect, as there are so few potential buyers who would have the club's interest at heart. Appointing Mourinho was seen as a positive mood by many - a shame it didn't work out but there we are. As long as Levy appoints a coach who KNOWS THIS LEAGUE, and backs him this summer, I'm very happy with him. The house is amazing, it's just the defensive furniture which needs an upgrade.
Be interesting to see if there are any "ENIC OUT" demonstrators at the Lane on Wednesday - and who on earth they think has the money to invest hugely in players as well as paying off our debt? - that's assuming they can think that deeply............

I don't think new owners would pay off our debt, just as ENIC are not paying off our debt. The club itself will pay the debt off through our operational revenues. I don't expect that to change under ENIC or anyone else.

 

[DubaiSpur]

- T

- What are the new owners going to do differently? (only answer I've seen is spend money)
- How much money are we talking about? is that taking into account the £150-£200M each
Pool/United/City/Chelsea are likely to spend per season (so are we matching them? or outspending them, if outspend by how much to close the gap?)

Good questions. Yep, spend money. I don't even think 150m-200m each year is necessary - but when you go into a window, have some players already signed, have some targets, and offer enough to get them signed up quickly - *before* pre season starts.

ENIC have failed continuously, miserably, and perpetually at that, because a) they want to sell to buy because they're worthless cheapskate deadweights, and b) even when that isn't needed, Levy takes 5000 weeks to negotiate something because he's a mediocre penny pincher and being a 'tough negotiator' is the only aptitude he has. Which leads to the manager not having new players in for pre-season most seasons, and situations like Grealish, where Levy starts with 5m + Onomah, swans around blowing himself for so long that the new owners take him off the market, and then desperately offers 35m on deadline day. A decisive owner just offering 25m to start with would have wrapped that up sharpish, long before it got to that.

Other than that, move players on quickly - at a loss if needed, recognizing that having stale wastes like Sissoko et al at the club is more damaging than the small losses we'll take getting them out the door.

Set up a separate fund to buy promising young players, loan them out like City or Chelsea, let them grow and decide if you want to integrate them into the first team. For the youth, identify top prospects and get them in early - we don't do enough of that, as evidenced by the lack of bought talent in the youth team in comparison to our peers.

Do what @Finney Is Back says, basically.

- What miracle method are they going to use to get a better hit/miss ratio with players/coach vs. everyone else in the league

Having more than two clueless slapheads in charge of football operations, perhaps. A proper DoF, with the certainty that funding is available to secure key targets early - the latitude to buy them, and the trust to then make up as much of the spend as possible with sales, *after* addressing team needs.

Not having a micromanaging penny-pincher sitting around in the club dining room talking about his GCSEs when the team needs improving.

It's not rocket science. We had Paul Mitchell, he left because he was tired of Levy. Get Campos, get Rangnick, get Michael Edwards back - everything is possible once Lewis and his slapstick sidekick Levy are booted.

Build a proper backroom team, with the largest analytics team in the league, the best fitness coaches, proper psychologists, proper physios - utilise the fact that they are cheaper than players to buy, but potentially offer huge rewards in tandem with an organizational culture that puts winning first and foremost.

- And what is the expectation, 1 cup per 10 years, 2, 3? what's that number?
- And is that including getting European qualification (cause current management has us in Europe for over 12 season)?

European qualification is pointless as a descriptor - means next to nothing to be in the Europa League if we never win it.

ENIC have won us one League Cup in twenty long, frustrating years- even 1 cup every ten years would beat their abysmal record. But, to put a number on it (meaningless, but let's try), I'd take a cup every four to five-odd years (our historical average pre-ENIC), and CL qualification more often than not.

But, more than that, have a culture that prioritizes winning - where players, from 12 onward, are told that the club wants to win and be the best. Not the most profitable, not the best vehicle to buy property in Haringey, the best on the field - best in the league, best in the country. At all costs.

Aim high, don't be cowardly - and back the club to pursue its dreams, as owners. The polar opposite of the deadweight duo at ENIC, basically.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Mate, it's simple

- Some people want Sugar Daddies (you and some have actually admitted it, so kudos to you), and they want to dress it up/excuse it in a million ways "owners with more passion, willing to take more risk, etc."
- My issue is often these are the people who complain about any attempt by the club to monetize, charge for anything (ESL, Ticket prices, etc.)
- People have run the numbers, it's in these threads somewhere -> ENIC spent money pre Stadium, Stadium years including time of land acquisition was very low spend, once Stadium was complete spending resumed, then we had Covid impact (but that doesn't fit a narrative.

This board is so fudging reactive is hilarious

- Leicester, people would actually trade places with Leicester? let's be clear, I'd bet my house on it -> Rodgers is gone with another season, Vardy in two, they drop right back into middle of the pack. Great they will always have something to remember but anyone who thinks they are threatening the order of the league are strait out fudging deluded.

The other thing is just looking at this squad a little more objectively

- We are 6th with two games left and our fate in our own hands, we made a cup final, Kane tied for Golden boot, Son having the best season of his career.
- We have dropped 20 points from leading positions and hit the woodwork 23 times.
- Bale, Dele, Rodon underutilized all season

Not hard to look at this season and say with a more compatible coach (and yes that is on Levy/ENIC) and/or a little bit of luck, this side would actually have strolled top 4, gone further in Europa, etc. (in our worst season in a decade+ with all the circumstances that apply)

You make some fair points here. I too feel that the squad being more fully aligned behind a plan, not having certain players wasting away all season would have meant that we may have been in with more of a top 4 shout. I hope we get closer next year. I hope we hire a good manager. I agree it's been our worst season in a while and we are still nearly there. I just hope we do better next year and a big part of the reason I have lost confidence in ENIC, as I have mentioned, is that I think these last two years came down to Levy's decisions. The buck stops with him at the end of the day - I think he should get ultimate credit for the good he has done, the progress the club has made, but he's had a bad 2 years and that's one of the reasons I lost confidence. We were so close, and he didn't do what needed to be done to keep it going.